The present invention relates generally to select and test systems, and more particularly, to a software-based select and test system for use with spacecraft.
Heretofore a large portion of the time allocated to payload and spacecraft integration involves manual adjustments and hand selection of alternative components that optimize the performance of analog and RF circuits. This operation is referred to as a select and test operation. Conventional select and test operations use factory selected components installed during assembly, integration and test or use a limited number of switched components. The select and test operation requires specially skilled personnel and expensive test equipment. An error or out-of-specification response encountered during an acceptance test operation requires replacement of the out-of-specification circuits and retesting of the payload to high reliability standards due to the fact that the electrical path was broken by making a hardware change.
It would therefore be an advantage to have a software-based select and test system for use with a spacecraft that eliminates the need to replace or manually solder components and attenuators to implement select and test operations, and has the added advantage of reducing the power and thermal dissipation requirements of the spacecraft.